Salem here. This is the first fanfic that I have written, and I hope you enjoy. (I do not own any of the characters.)
The first two chapters are background information about how the kingdom of Enchancia got to the new realm. It's all about the build-up! Time will pass a lot quicker in chapter two. That being said, there will be a lot of romantic, lemon, scenes in this story after the first two chapters. If that's not your type of thing, that's okay too! Just know that Sofia is an adult in after the second chapter after all the romance happens.
That being said, I will also give you a song playlist to accompany each chapter. This doesn't mean that every lyric in the song applies, but something about the song spoke to me. This also doesn't mean you have to enjoy the song, it's just something extra I want to throw in to add something special to my story!
Chapter One Playlist:
1. Prayer Of A Refugee by Rise Against
2. The Sound Of Silence by Disturbed (If you prefer the original version, I totally understand. I really like the sound of the remake one for chapter one.)
3. The Kill (acoustic) by 30 Seconds to Mars
Enjoy and Thank You!
Sincerely, Salem
King Roland II makes his way up the spiral staircase to the tower occupied by his Royal Sorcerer, Cedric The Sensational. What a questionable moniker, how he managed to acquire it, Roland hasn't the faintest. He knows the tasks he requires of Cedric is a grave one. It is not for the faint of heart, and in his mind, he doesn't know if Cedric is qualified.
Alas, Roland trusts no one else to this secrecy, not even his devoted wife, Queen Miranda. Almost reluctantly, the King knocks on the cedar door of Cedric's tower.
The locks click open, as the door cracks with a whine. Cedric's current assignment and the reason for this meeting demands complete privacy. "I trust you received my message, Cedric?" Roland phrases his words as a question, but he does not desire an answer.
Cedric merely nods as Roland passes him without a glance, striding towards Cedric's potion station. Smoke rolls from the cauldron, spilling onto the floor. Cedric looks exhausted and uneasy. Roland peers into the brewing mixture. "How much longer until it's ready?"
"Only a day or two, Sire. Brewing the potion is not so difficult, it's the repercussions of casting the curse that will be deadly." "I understand that, Cedric. As we've discussed many times this month, I am fully prepared to accept the consequences of this spell."
"What you've asked me to do is no spell, King Roland. It is a curse of the blackest magic." Cedric appears grave, but Roland does not console him, this is Cedric's job, after all, to do as the King requests.
"The kingdom doesn't have time for your newly acquired moral objections, sorcerer. If we cannot stop The Order of The Wands and the rebellion at hand, then we have no other option. You and I are fully aware that this is the only way." Cedric opens his mouth to protest Roland's authority. "You are either on my side, or you're not."
Cedric lowers his head shamefully. "I am on your side. As long as you are fully prepared to accept the cost of such a curse, I will perform it."
"I am well aware that a soul must be sacrificed for the spell to work."
Cedric sighs, slowly shaking his head. "The final ingredient of the potion is the blood of magic right before the curse is cast. The Curse Of The Realms requires a single willing soul of the pure of heart to open the divide."
Roland dismisses Cedric's words with a wave of his hand. He knew the consequences that The Curse Of The Realms would hold, and he is prepared to pay it. "I am well aware of this, Cedric, there is no need to keep reminding me. Have you prepared everything on the other side?"
"Just as you have asked, Sire."
"I am glad you are on my side for this, Cedric." The sorcerer has quieted Roland's doubts momentarily.
"Of course, King Roland. If I may inquire, whose soul have you selected?" Cedric wrings his hands together in a nervous gesture.
"I have chosen my own. I am nothing if not the people's king." Roland's face remains stoic, while Cedric's bears a haunting glow, though he says nothing at the King's words.
*THREE MONTHS LATER*
**Sofia**
Harsh breaths escape from the tiny Princess's lungs as she runs toward's her aunt, Duchess Matilda. "Aunt Tilly!" Sofia exclaims in a rushed voice.
"Sofia! Did you secure the Secret Library? The Order of the Wand can never access its magic." The Duchess takes Sofia's hands in hers as she speaks in hushed tones.
"I did, Aunt Tilly, no one can enter it again until I say the entering spell. There are obstacles in their way to prevent them from even getting close."
"WhizBang, that's my girl, Sophia! Now run to the ballroom where you'll be safe with James and Amber, you're parents will be there promptly!"
"I will, Aunt Tilly, but first there's someone I have to make sure is safe too!" Sofia runs down the corridor before her Aunt can protest, Clover hops by her side.
"Where are we going, Princess? Isn't everyone else already in the ballroom?"
"I have to check on Mr. Cedric," Sofia says with determination.
"Won't he be in the ballroom, with everyone else?" Clover asks, deterred by their running.
"No, Mr. Cedric wasn't there when Dad told us to meet in the ballroom. He won't know what to do!"
"Sofia, what's going to happen if your father isn't able to stop The Order Of The Wands?"
"We can't think like that, Clover! Dad has a plan to protect everyone. After I check on Mr. Cedric, I'll go to the ballroom myself." Sofia pushes Cedric's cedar door fully open; relief overcomes her when she finds his door still unlocked from this morning. For the last four months, Cedric has kept it dead bolted.
"Princess?! What're you doing here, shouldn't you be in the ballroom with your family?" Cedric's eyes widen in fear at the Princess in front of him.
"I had to make sure you knew where to go! There's still time to stop The Order Of The Wands, Mr. Cedric, I know it!" Sofia pulls out the wand she commandeered this morning while Cedric wasn't looking, to secure her Secret Libary.
Cedric looks at her fondly, seeing one of his wands in her tiny hand. "Posiden's Pumpkins." He curses under his breath, "You're safety is more important than mine, please run along to the ballroom where your family is waiting."
"Not without you, Mr. Cedric! You should be safe too! I helped you defeat the evil Sorcerer Grimtrix and The Order Of The Wands before and I will this time too!" Sofia's voice held conviction far beyond her age.
Cedric grabs an effervescent potion; it's majestic colors swirl in the light, the smoke long cleared. "You are always a great help to me, Princess, but this time I need you to return to the ballroom, please." He kneels down in front of her. "Kingdoms are being frozen to a stronger degree than the curse of the Medusa stone. We've tried for three long months to reverse whatever spell or curse has taken over the known kingdoms, to no avail. It's like nothing I've ever seen before. I have spent many nights at Hexly Hall trying to understand this new power. Princess Sofia, your father and I have a plan to save the kingdom, and this time, I need you to trust us to do what's right."
"That potion will stop The Order Of The Wand?" Her small hand reach towards the magic vial. She stares at the majestic colors. "It looks heavenly." The Royal Sorcerer quickly whisks it away, a grimace forming on his face.
"That is the plan, dear Princess; trust your father and me to stop this madness. Its appearance is completely ironic, remember you shouldn't judge a book by its cover." He glares at the object in his hand.
"I trust you Mr. Cedric, the greatest sorcerer in the universe!" He does not smile at the compliment bestowed upon him but offers a weary expression instead.
"Run along now Princess, hurry to the ballroom. I will do my best to be there in due time."
"Promise, Mr. Cedric?" Sofia hurries to the door but looks back waiting for a response he is hesitant to give.
"You have my word, now run Princess." He gently orders her away. With his response, Sofia flees the tower, now carrying an exhausted Clover in her arms.
"I thought you didn't like hugs, Clover?" Sofia coos at her rabbit.
"I'll take a hug over running right now, Sofia. You know how to wear a bunny out! I can't wait to get to the ballroom where they'll hopefully be lots of food I have to maintain this physique you know!"
Sofia laughs at Clover's humor before abruptly stopping when she see's whose lurking outside the palace courtyard. "Prisma!"
"But, didn't you and Amber stopped her, with the help of the Ever Realm Protectors?"
"We did," Sofia says harshly directed to the harlot standing outside.
"Uh, oh, Sofia, what are you going to do?" Clover's body shook with anxiety.
"I'm going to stop her! Clover, I need you to run to the ballroom without me, if my family sees you there alone, they'll know something is wrong."
"Oh, Sofia, I don't like this plan!"
"Hurry Clover! The faster you run to the ballroom, the faster help will arrive!"
Clover dashes towards the ballroom. Oh, I hate this plan and all this running..."
Sofia ignores Clover's cries of complaint and tries to call Orion, a protector of the Ever Realm. She grows increasingly concerned as her calls go unanswered. What has Primsa done? "Prisma!" Sofia yells at the crystal master.
Her evil cackle imitates through the air, "Well, if it isn't Princess Sofia, just the girl I was looking for, for once."
"What have you done with the Protectors of the Ever Realm?" Sofia demands to know. She notices atop her head sits Snowwhite's stepmother, Grimhilde's, crown. Sofia lets out a gasp.
"What did I do those Protectors?" She cackles again, "Why, I have done nothing! The Order Of The Wand, however, has." She makes a grand sweeping gesture behind her as members of The Order Of The Wand cascade down from the sky.
"No!" Sofia looks around and notices the ringleader of The Order was missing. Impending dread fills her stomach, anticipating what is to come.
Light reflects off Grimhilde's crown causing lighting to explode through the sky.
**Cedric**
Cordelia the Conjuror strides through the shadows of her younger brother's tower. He senses her behind him but makes no indication acknowledging her presence, instead concentrating on the task at hand.
"Ceddy?" Cordelia says hesitantly. She fled her kingdom to Enchancia when it became frozen by The Order Of The Wand. "Ceddy," She says again when her brother does not respond, "I thought you told the Princess you would go to the ballroom?"
Cedric stands at his potion station, clutching the wood with his hands for support, he fears what he has been asked to do. "I intend to, Cordelia. Is Calista there now as well?" Calista is Cordelia's only child and is far too young to protect herself.
"Yes, I placed her there as soon as I heard The Order was on their way, she is safe. Or, as safe as she can be now." She gently places a hand on her brother's shoulder. "You don't have to go through with this you know. There has to be another way."
"You know as well as I, Cordelia, that as the Royal Sorcerer I have to do what King Roland asks of me." He shoves several potion jars out of the way, reaching for a black case that contains a ceremonial knife and slips it inside his robe.
"Look at me, Cedric!" The sorcerer does as his sister wishes and slowly turns to face her, tears have swelled in her eyes. "This won't work. The King is wrong this time, The Curse Of The Realms will reject his soul. Roland may be a willing sacrifice, but he is not pure of heart. He will die for nothing!"
"Don't you think I know that, dear sister?! Don't you think I've tried time and again to talk him out his reckless plan?! This plan he is forcing upon me was doomed from the start, and I can do nothing of it!" Cedric slams his fist on the table causing several potions to collapse and bubble.
"You always have a choice, Cedric, always." Cordelia gasps with sudden realization, "There's only one soul in this kingdom that's pure enough for the curse to accept. They wouldn't..." Cordelia's hands fly to her mouth as Cedric harshly grabs her shoulders tight enough to bruise.
"How dare you say that out loud! I would give my own life before they even think about harming her. There are always choices, and I have made mine knowing that the princess will be safe, regardless of what else I must do." The princess was his only friend, the first one to believe in him and the first person to ever show him kindness.
A menacing chuckle comes from the doorway; the siblings' jerk around towards the noise. "Grimtrix! Greylock!" Cedric's eyes narrow at his enemies as he readies his wand. So, The Order Of The Wand had arrived.
"Merlin's Mushrooms!" Cordelia steadies her wand, fear gleaming in her eyes.
"You know, Cedric, when I heard you were going to perform The Curse Of The Realms, I laughed at the thought. How could you, the weakest, ill-equipped, unskilled sorcerer in the known lands pull off such black magic? Then, when news came back to me that you had successfully concocted the potion, well, I was worried. Luckily for me, I've thought of a way to make this work in my favor." Cedric slips the potion into a pocket inside his robes, his wand never leaving Grimtrix. "You will never win. It doesn't matter what you say about me I am a far greater sorcerer than you will ever be!" Cedric sends a zapping spell that instantly freezes Grimtrix's arm enabling him from firing a counterspell.
Greylock laughs, "Well, well, Red-Brick has a single trick up his sleeves, too bad it won't be enough!" Cedric grabs Cordelia's arm and pulls them back towards the window as Greylock sends a counterspell on Grimtrix's frozen arm.
"You see, Cedric, Sofia has made enough enemies for herself out there, and some of them are willing to go to drastic means to see her end!" Grimtrix approaches them. Cedric knows that he cannot risk fighting them without jeopardizing the potion.
"You lay a finger on Princess Sofia's head, and it will be the last thing you ever do, Grimtrix! I swear on the Magic of Merlin, I will end you!"
"Mighty words for a sorcerer who's never amounted to much, Hattrick," Greylock taunts.
"Ceddy, get that potion to the King, I can easily handle these scum!"
"Don't you want to know what we plan to do with the Princess before you run away, Cedric?" Cedric backs further towards the window he would get one shot at jumping through the glass if the potion got crushed it would all be for not. "You see, Cedric the useless, we're going to use dear Sofia's soul to open the divide. After the Princess is dead, I'll send you, along with the royal family through the rift, then all of Enchancia will be mine! And you'll be trapped in a world without magic, with no way to return."
"ARGH!" In a flurry of rage, Cedric casts a slicing spell sending Grimtrix flying into the stone wall, bleeding from cuts all over his body. "Touch Sofia, and I will end you!" Cedric's onyx eyes glow with rage.
"Cedric look out!" Cordelia flings her body between Cedric, and the deadly curse Greylock casts his way. The firey hex penetrates Cordelia's heart, and she collapses at Cedric's feet. Cedric flings a curse at Greylock, one that doesn't kill him but sends his mind into permanent madness, a fate worse than death.
"Ceddy, you're the best brother a conjuror could have. Take care of Calista, and defeat The Order..." Cordelia's blood seeps onto Cedric's purple robes as the conjuror takes her final breath. Fury seethes through Cedric's body, as he picks up Grimtrix's wand.
"Oh, dear boy," Grimtrix laughs, blood dripping from his mouth."Do you want vindication? Go ahead and kill me! See what that does! Sofia will still die, and the kingdoms will still be frozen!"
Cedric snaps Grimtrix's wand in half. He is not a murderer it will not bring his sister back, but severing Grimtrix's magic might save Sofia.
"Fool!" Grimtrix coughs blood, "This is not the magic of the Medusa Stone! You've accomplished nothing!"
"Your wand is broken. You have no access to magic. You are the useless one, Grimtrix!" Rage and sadness swirl within Cedric, but he has no time for mourning now, he must cast the curse!
Lighting flashes in the sky as rain falls in sheets. "Cedric, ole boy, you're too late. When lighting cracks the sky, the Princess will die!" Cedric recognizes the figure casting cursed lighting at the Royal family. Why weren't they in the ballroom?!
Without giving the bleeding Grimtrix or drooling demented Greylock a second glance, Cedric flings himself out the window into the pelting rain, knowing he'd never get the chance to lay his sister's body to rest.
A bolt of lighting ricochets through the air, Cedric sends a counterspell against it as gravity pulls him down. He casts a spell that slows his decent, allowing him to land gracefully on the cratered courtyard. He desperately searches for a pair of azure eyes in the chaotic disarray and is beyond relieved upon seeing them.
**King Roland**
Father's will do anything out of desperation to protect their children. Taking a life, or giving their own, they will go to great links to make sure no harm to comes to their child. To be hexed frozen, seeing spells pelted at his family, is an unimaginable torture Roland is forced to live out. He curses Prisma for his current state of hell.
Tilly is using her Shield of Valur to protect their family against the spells of The Order Of The Wand. Most of his family at least. Sofia, his beautiful, brave, Sofia, is trapped at the edge of the courtyard. She counters lighting bolt after continuous lightning bolt. Roland stares at his daughter in amazement and despair. Her ability with magic is astounding, as is her bravery to protect those she loves. He is unable to shed the frozen tears for his children in his statue-like state. Roland sees a concerning imagine in his peripheral vision, Cedric's wand points directly at him. After all of this, could Cedric possible be back with The Order?
A blinding spell propels through the air, hitting the King where he stands frozen. This time the counterspell works and the king is mobile again! Cedric hadn't turned against him after all!
"Cedric, how did you reverse the Frozen Curse? Have you found a way to fix the kingdoms?" The two duck as debris from magic flies through the air; they take cover under a pillar.
"You were merely frozen by one of the hexing crystals that harlequin possesses. The counter hex was simple enough."
"Thank you, Cedric, you are a great sorcerer, I am sorry I doubted you in the past."
"Time for compliments later, Sire, we have to protect the children! They should be in the ballroom!" Cedric waves his wand to redirect a bolt of lighting heading straight for Tilly's shield. The counterspell misses its target as the earth shakes underneath them lighting strikes the Shield Of Valour.
"NO!" Roland cries as Tilly is propelled back into the castle doors. Queen Miranda reaches for the twins but is only able to latch onto James as Amber slips through her fingers. Amber's body hits the ground with force and rolls towards Sofia. Amber tries to stand up, but another quake causes everyone to collapse.
"Finnigan's fungus!" Cedric curses as he helps the King back on his feet.
"Amber!" Sofia rushes towards her older sister. The Royal Sorcerer and the King race towards the princesses.
"Not so fast, sorcerer! I haven't forgotten how you trapped me in that mirror!" Morgana flings hexes at the two men, halting their advances towards the princesses.
Cedric freezes Morgana where she stands after her last round of hexes. "Come quickly, your majesty!"
Lighting cracks the sky. Roland watches in horror as Sofia covers Amber's unconscious body with her own. "Sofia!"
** Cedric**
Cedric casts a spell at hits the crystal master, Prisma, who falls back onto the stone ground. He has to act fast; there is only a short amount of time to revive the Princess. As soon as they reach the princess, the sorcerer casts a spell to slow time in a bubble around them. It would buy them a few minutes before Sofia's soul leaves her.
Roland weeps over his daughter's body, her lifeforce bearly clinging to her. Amber is still alive, though unconscious. The amulet glows a bright and powerful pink, a sharp crack running through the center. An idea suddenly crosses Cedric's mind it would be a long shot, but it is the only way to save Princess Sofia, even if it costs his own life.
"Do I have your permission to do something dangerous in the hopes of saving Sofia?" Cedric implores his King.
"Save her, Cedric, I don't care at what price," Roland sobs. The sorcerer couldn't bring back the dead, but there was still time. Maybe he could trap her soul inside the Amulet of Avalor. After all, it chose Sofia as the wearer and is supposed to protect her from harm. It was cracked and broken now, but maybe, maybe he could fix it.
Acting quickly, he pulls the potion for The Curse Of The Realms out of his pocket, along with his ceremonial blade. He takes off a brown glove and slices his hand open, spilling blood into the potion. It glows bright red and beings to bubble. Cedric says a silent prayer, before uttering the foreign words of the curse. The blood of magic now given; it was time for the willing sacrifice of the pure of heart. Sofia willing sacrificed herself for her sister if Cedric acts quickly enough maybe he can trick the cruse.
The potion skyrockets into the sky like fireworks! Cedric watches intensely for Sofia's soul to raise up. Sparkle, stardust like magic trickle towards the sky from Sofia's mouth. "Cedric! Have you just killed my daughter?! You were supposed to save her!" Roland howls at Cedric.
"I will save her, Roland, even if it costs me my own life." Cedric holds his wand up to Sofia's rising soul, letting it reach high enough to open a giant rift in the sky. The realms are open, the people of Enchancia and its refugees can make their escape. It was now or never! Cedric casts a holding beam on Sofia's soul, keeping the curse from consuming it.
"The time bubble will not hold for long, get the people through the realms divide! I will not let go of the Princess's soul. Once everyone has gone through the rift, I'll transport Sofia and myself through." Cedric grips both hands on his wand. Sparks shoot from the end of the wood as the magic strains to hold the soul, but Cedric is unwilling to give up.
"I will not leave without Sofia!" The wind swirls around them making it almost impossible to hear the King's words. "It was my soul the curse was supposed to take!"
"The curse would have never taken your soul, Sire you know this! Get your kingdom to safety!" Cedric struggles against the force of magic exerted to hold both Sofia's soul and the rift open. He stands over the princess's body, determined to protect her against any flying spells made by The Order.
The time bubble disintegrates around them. Roland hands Amber to Queen Miranda. "What's going on Rollie? What's wrong with Sofia?!"
"I'll explain in time, Miranda, please take Amber and James through the rift, I'll see you on the other side." Miranda complies with tears in her eyes as she leaves her husband and youngest daughter.
Cedric's foresight has made it easier for the kingdom to escape to the next realm. He has planted 30 magic spores throughout different parts of Enchancia. Each spore will absorb everything within a ten miles radius and then dissipate into the opening of the rift. If his magic works as planned, everyone will appear on the other side of the realm safely in their respective places. He watches as his spores disperse and release into the sky, taking parts of Enchancia with them. Cedric hears the voices of the villagers on the other side of the realm; he knows he's performed a feat of greatness, though of good or evil he is unsure. None of this will matter to him if he cannot save Sofia.
"King Roland, you have to go through the realm now! I cannot hold it for much longer!" Cedric falls to one knee, on the verge of collapsing from the intensity of the magic.
"We'll go together, Cedric!" The King picks up his daughter's body as the final spore dissipates, propelling them through the rift. They land gracefully through the divide into the next realm. Despite the visual differences in appearance, Cedric is still able to recognize everyone.
The Queen runs up to Roland, "Roland, I demand to know what's going on!"
Cedric ignores them; he has a limited amount of time to perform the next spell. As long as the rift is open, magic will be allowed in this non-magical realm. Cedric flicks his wand forcefully towards the Amulet of Avalor. It radiates a brilliant pink, protecting the princess' soul within its jewel, without trapping her body. To Cedric's horror, the crack refuses to close, Sofia's soul starts to seep through. He clutches the stone tightly within his grasp and points his wand toward his own heart, and guides the wand up the lining of his throat. A royal purple hue emerges from his mouth; it's a part of his soul. Cedric swirls his wand in a circular motion and casts it at the amulet in his hand. The crack seals shut and the rift closes above him, concealing off all magic from them all. Silence falls on Cedric's ears as he says a final prayer.
Cedric falls to his knees weakened by restraining the curse; he has done everything he can. If Sofia doesn't take a breath, if her heart doesn't start beating again, Cedric's life will also end, having entwined his soul with hers inside of the amulet.
By the gracious magic of Merlin, Sofia sucks in a breath as Cedric crumples to the ground.
Thank you all! Until next time,
Salem